Evacuation orders lifted for fire near SDSU campus
As of 6:30 p.m., the fire is 25% contained, according to SDFD. No injuries have been reported, but the fire did damage six homes.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- All evacuation orders have been lifted after a brush fire that burned southwest of the San Diego State University campus Thursday afternoon.
The fire was reported in the canyon near Fairmount Avenue and Montezuma Road around 1:45 p.m. According to San Diego Police Department Lt. Dan Meyer, the fire appears to have sparked due to strong winds blowing through an area with overgrown brush and palm trees.
Around 4 p.m., the wildfire had burned about 40 acres and remains at 0% containment. A smoke advisory had been issued for central and southeastern San Diego, including Mission Valley, Lemon Grove and Encanto.
The fire is 25% contained, SDFD posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, at 6:30 p.m. No injuries have been reported, but the fire did damage six homes.
Mandatory evacuations were ordered for thousands of residents in multiple neighborhoods surrounding the fire, starting south of Alvarado Canyon Road, west Hewlett Drive, north of Monroe Avenue and east of Montezuma Road. All of those orders were lifted around 9 p.m.
Several schools were also impacted, including Hardy Elementary. Students at the school were evacuated to Viejas Arena at SDSU.
A temporary evacuation point was at Allied Gardens Recreation Center located at 5155 Greenbrier Ave., San Diego, 92120. Red Cross was on site to assist evacuees.
The eastbound Interstate 8 off-ramp at Fairmont Avenue was closed around 3:03 p.m. to aid in fire response and keep the public away from the area where the fire is burning, according to Caltrans. It has since been reopened.
Montezuma Road between Collwood Boulevard and Fairmount Ave will remain closed through the night, however, per fire officials.
People are advised to avoid areas that are closed due to the fire response.
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